During the recently held Test series against Sri Lanka at home, veteran India off-spinner R Ashwin added one more feather to his already illustrious hat as he went past Kapil Dev's tally of 434 wickets to become the country's second highest wicket-taker in the longest format.
Ashwin returned with 12 scalps in the two-Test series and his current tally stands at 442 wickets. Only legendary leg-spinner Anil Kumble is ahead of him among the Indian bowlers with 619 dismissals.
Speaking on his achievement, Ashwin on Monday (March 21) said he never ran after numbers in his career and considers personal milestones as “just part of the journey and not final destination”.
“The numbers are great, and it’s humbling really to see what I’ve been able to do in terms of the numbers. The more I’ve played, the more it felt like the numbers are a part of the journey rather than the destination,” Ashwin said in a release.
“In the past 2-3 years especially, the feeling has been great, with series’ wins in Australia, comeback into the T20 team, it almost feels like how I felt when I first broke into the team, wherein a lot has been going on for me.”
Ashwin will turn up for Rajasthan Royals in the upcoming IPL season. He was roped in by the inaugural IPL champions for INR 5 crore at the mega-auction last month.
“The IPL is a tough tournament, there are a lot of variables leading into every season which can have an impact. Dew, pitches, the opposition, you name it and there’s a variable that can impact a game in different ways – which makes it a challenge to prepare for things in advance and you’ve got to be ready at all times,” Ashwin said in a release issued by RR.
“However, for me, personally, going into an IPL season is always exciting. The IPL gives a window of experimentation, something which has enabled me to come out a richer cricketer, irrespective of the results, every time I’ve been a part of it.”
Ashwin also talked about his potential role in the Royals set-up as he is one of the senior-most players in the side.
“I feel contribution to a team is far beyond than just contributing on the ground. I’ve always been a person who enjoys talking about cricket and have been very open in terms of having a discussion with anyone around the sport.
“With my experience and communication skills, I’ll try to have discussions with anyone who wants to have a discussion and help to the best of my ability, hopefully making a difference to the squad from within,” he said.
The seasoned off-spinner also had words of praise for RR skipper Sanju Samson.
“I think Sanju has got an amazing attitude and a good head on his shoulders. He’s always open for discussion, open to opinions around the game, so that’s a great quality to have.
“I do believe Sanju has got the vantage point as a wicketkeeper to judge the game with all the angles, the pitch and how things are going to work. He also has age on his side, and will definitely get better,” Ashwin concluded.
(With PTI inputs)
